Cognitive:The students will understand that the family is where they learn to love others, even others outside of their families.
Affective:The students will appreciate their families and want to invest in those relationships more.
Behavioral:The students will relate to others respectfully as if they were their own family members. For instance, they will be more polite toward elderly people, thinking of them as their own grandparents.
Class session 1:
On the board, draw three lines dividing the board into columns. In the left column, write: Things My Mother Used to Do for Me (as a child). In the next two columns, write: Things I Am Expected to Do for Myself (as a teenager) and Things I Will Do for Others (as an adult). Ask students to name things that go under each column head and write these on the board.
Can they see that they have been expected to take more and more responsibility for themselves and for others over time? Can they see a gradual growth from self-centeredness to other-centeredness over the course of time?
This is the way the four realms of heart work. Over time, the person becomes more and more able to give to others rather than needing to receive at all times. In this way, the family is the school of true, altruistic love for others.
Have students do the Questions for Reflection in their student books.
Questions for Reflection
1. What are the values most strongly stressed in your family?
2. Can you remember any events that made you realize the importance of these values?
3. Do you think that these values are similar to those of other families?
4. Which values do you consider most important?
6. How do you think things have changed compared to your parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods?
7. What does your family like to do together?
8. What does your family quarrel about the most?
9. What are the four realms of heart?
10. How are these four realms of heart shown in your family?
Have students read over the Exercise: "Love Creates Love." Ask them to decide which family member they are going to choose as their "beloved" for a week and why. Have them write down something they are going to do for this person for each day of the week. Ask them to submit these plans to you.
Exercise: “Love Creates Love”
Write the names of all your family members on separate pieces of paper. Fold them up and put them in a box. Then, pull one piece of paper out. This is your “beloved” for the week. For one week you should love and serve this family member, making him or her feel like the most special person in the world. Without being asked, find things to do for this person—for example, washing the dishes, walking the dog, doing the laundry—to make his or her life easier. Make little cards, write a poem, and give flowers—anything that will make this person feel loved and special.
Do at least one nice thing for your beloved each day. Resolve not to fight or argue with this person for that whole week. Notice how the attitude of your beloved changes toward you. Has your love multiplied more love? Are you now receiving more love than before?
At the end of the week choose another name from your box and serve your new beloved with all your heart. After you have served all of the members of your family, start over and make this your way of life.
If your family is interested in doing this activity, then write everyone's name down on separate pieces of paper and have each family member pick one piece of paper. If it is their own name, they should fold their paper again and select another name. Do not let each other know whose name is on the paper. The person whose name is on your piece of paper is your beloved for the week. Serve each other secretly for two or three days without letting your beloved know who you are. After a few days, try to guess who your secret admirer is. Whether your family is large or small, this is a simple and fun exercise that can improve your relationships and create a wonderful atmosphere at home.
Class session 2:
Have students tell one another: "Two Truths and a Tale" about their families. Each student gets a turn to tell the class three things: two things are true about his or her family and one thing is false. Have the rest of the class guess what items are true and which one is false about each student.
Have the students do the Reflection Exercise: "Grandparents"
Reflection Exercise: "Grandparents"
1. How many grandparents do you have that are still alive?
2. Do you see them very often? How often?
3. Where did they grow up?
4. Do you know anything about their parents, your great-grandparents?
5. How many brothers and sisters and children did your grandparents have?
6. What do you admire most about your grandparents?
7. Do you think their life, at your age, was similar to or different from yours? In what ways?
8. What are your grandparents' favorite things to do?
9. Do you think your parents are raising you in a way similar to the way they were raised or differently? Explain.
Ask the students to imagine the following scenario. They have just gotten off a city bus. An elderly woman has fallen down on the sidewalk and struck her head. What should you do?
A. Pass her by—there is a policeman on the corner. Let him take care of it.
B. Laugh.
C. Kneel down next to her, take her hand, and ask if she is all right.
Ask the students to imagine the elderly woman is their own grandmother. How would they like people to act toward her?
Cognitive: The students will understand that the family is where they learn to love others, even others outside of their families.
Affective: The students will appreciate their families and want to invest in those relationships more.
Behavioral: The students will relate to others respectfully as if they were their own family members. For instance, they will be more polite toward elderly people, thinking of them as their own grandparents.
Class session 1:
On the board, draw three lines dividing the board into columns. In the left column, write: Things My Mother Used to Do for Me (as a child). In the next two columns, write: Things I Am Expected to Do for Myself (as a teenager) and Things I Will Do for Others (as an adult). Ask students to name things that go under each column head and write these on the board.
Can they see that they have been expected to take more and more responsibility for themselves and for others over time? Can they see a gradual growth from self-centeredness to other-centeredness over the course of time?
This is the way the four realms of heart work. Over time, the person becomes more and more able to give to others rather than needing to receive at all times. In this way, the family is the school of true, altruistic love for others.
Have students do the Questions for Reflection in their student books.
Questions for Reflection
1. What are the values most strongly stressed in your family?
2. Can you remember any events that made you realize the importance of these values?
3. Do you think that these values are similar to those of other families?
4. Which values do you consider most important?
6. How do you think things have changed compared to your parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods?
7. What does your family like to do together?
8. What does your family quarrel about the most?
9. What are the four realms of heart?
10. How are these four realms of heart shown in your family?
Have students read over the Exercise: "Love Creates Love." Ask them to decide which family member they are going to choose as their "beloved" for a week and why. Have them write down something they are going to do for this person for each day of the week. Ask them to submit these plans to you.
Exercise: “Love Creates Love”
Write the names of all your family members on separate pieces of paper. Fold them up and put them in a box. Then, pull one piece of paper out. This is your “beloved” for the week. For one week you should love and serve this family member, making him or her feel like the most special person in the world. Without being asked, find things to do for this person—for example, washing the dishes, walking the dog, doing the laundry—to make his or her life easier. Make little cards, write a poem, and give flowers—anything that will make this person feel loved and special.
Do at least one nice thing for your beloved each day. Resolve not to fight or argue with this person for that whole week. Notice how the attitude of your beloved changes toward you. Has your love multiplied more love? Are you now receiving more love than before?
At the end of the week choose another name from your box and serve your new beloved with all your heart. After you have served all of the members of your family, start over and make this your way of life.
If your family is interested in doing this activity, then write everyone's name down on separate pieces of paper and have each family member pick one piece of paper. If it is their own name, they should fold their paper again and select another name. Do not let each other know whose name is on the paper. The person whose name is on your piece of paper is your beloved for the week. Serve each other secretly for two or three days without letting your beloved know who you are. After a few days, try to guess who your secret admirer is. Whether your family is large or small, this is a simple and fun exercise that can improve your relationships and create a wonderful atmosphere at home.
Class session 2:
Have students tell one another: "Two Truths and a Tale" about their families. Each student gets a turn to tell the class three things: two things are true about his or her family and one thing is false. Have the rest of the class guess what items are true and which one is false about each student.
Have the students do the Reflection Exercise: "Grandparents"
Reflection Exercise: "Grandparents"
1. How many grandparents do you have that are still alive?
2. Do you see them very often? How often?
3. Where did they grow up?
4. Do you know anything about their parents, your great-grandparents?
5. How many brothers and sisters and children did your grandparents have?
6. What do you admire most about your grandparents?
7. Do you think their life, at your age, was similar to or different from yours? In what ways?
8. What are your grandparents' favorite things to do?
9. Do you think your parents are raising you in a way similar to the way they were raised or differently? Explain.
Ask the students to imagine the following scenario. They have just gotten off a city bus. An elderly woman has fallen down on the sidewalk and struck her head. What should you do?
A. Pass her by—there is a policeman on the corner. Let him take care of it.
B. Laugh.
C. Kneel down next to her, take her hand, and ask if she is all right.
Ask the students to imagine the elderly woman is their own grandmother. How would they like people to act toward her?